Turners Alaskan Adventures

Depending on your interest, you may want to come trapping with us in the Winter, or experience Summer gardening, fishing, and log cabin building.

Trapping season is from November 1 until Mid-March. We offer one trapline adventure during November/December and one in February/March.

It is important to schedule the travel time into these adventures. You should plan to arrive at least one day before your scheduled bush flight to camp and depart the day following your return from the Bush. These bush flights are often delayed because of weather.

Trapline Locations: Nowitna River and Kantishna River Regions

Join us at our home in the Wilderness of Alaska! We operate two traplines. One is located in the Nowitna River area, where we also offer Fallmoose/grizzlyhunts.This trapline is approximately two hours to the West by small plane from Fairbanks and is used exclusively for Winter trapping.

Flowing out of the Denali National Park, the McKinley River meanders its way down and turns into the Kantishna River to the north of the Park boundary. This is the location of our original trapline, started in 1926, an hour flight or 8 hours by riverboat from the nearest town. On this trapline, we also spend our summers. Both traplines offer similar opportunties, and we take guest to both places.

Adventure Opportunities:

Our traplines are truly remote. In winter, we get to and from our traplines by airplane, and travel along our 250 miles of hand cut trails and along frozen rivers using both dog teams and snowmachines. We trap primarily Wolf, Wolverine, Lynx, Fox, Marten, and Beaver.

Depending on your interest, you may wish to come in the early Winter to help us set out our traps, open up ‘line cabins, and set up tent camps along our many trails. Learn the processes of skinning, stretching, and drying quality furs, the source of our trapline income. Hop on the runners of one of our homemade dog sleds behind a team of dogs. You may also want to come in the Spring, when we begin to snap our marten and lynx traps for the season, and focus more of our energy on Wolf, Wolverine, and Beaver, whose seasons continue into April.

Our family spends the summers on the Kantishna River, where we operate two hand-made fish wheels, catching Salmon for dog food and winter trapping bait. We also grow a year’s supply of vegetables on our summer trapline, working at it full time during the long summer days. Spring and Summer are also the times when we build boats, dogsleds, cabins, and caches for use during the rest of the year. You can plan a trip to the trapline to observe or take part in these summer activities.

Trapline adventures are best with a maximum of one or two guests, which allows for a more one-on-one focus in participating in and experiencing the trapline lifestyle. Trapline adventures are individualized to cater to the specific interests that you have.

Read about one visitor’s experience on the trapline with us! (*.pdf)

Accomodations:

In main camp, you can have the privacy of a separate cabin. A wood stove and cheery lantern light provide a pleasing atmosphere. All your meals will be prepared for you during your stay and any cold weather equipment you may need can be arranged for. Comfort and safety are our first goals.

From Fairbanks it is necessary that a bush aircraft bring you to the trapline, and return for you at the end of your adventure. We will share the cost of these flights, and make all the necessary arrangements.